Automatically-controlled valve



Nov. 16 1926. 1,607,392

F. s. D ENISON v AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE Filed Got. 23. 1924 INYEN TOR FRED ERIC/f GLEN/6 0N Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,607,392 PATENT, OFFICE.

FREDERICK S. DENISON, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO MINNEAPOLISHEAT REGULATOR COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OFMINNESOTA.

AUTOMATICALLY-CONTROLLED IIALVE.

Application filed October 23, 1924. Serial No. 745,408.

This invention relates to an improved au-' tomatically controlled valveand more particularly to valves whose opened and closed positions areautomatically controlled by means or mechanisms having elementsautomatically actuable in response to external conditions such forexample, as changes in pressure or temperature. In the use of suchresponsive elements, disadvantages frequently arise in that a singlepositive initial actuation is not always attained but a plurality ofpartial actuations in opposite directions frequently occur when theelement reaches its critical condition with the result that the valvetends to chatter or eii'ectonly partial opening or closing movements insuccession.

In the structure here disclosed for purpose of clear explanation of theinvention, there is shown such an element of the type which isresponsive to thermal changes. This element is adapted to control acircuit to energize an electromagnetic device which in turn regulatesthe opened or closed position of the valve. In this disclosed form thereis provided a means which will maintain the circuit in adevice-energizing condition when such circuit is once energized and willso hold the circuit until the circuit is again opened upon subsequentopening movement of the element.

The object therefore of the invention is to provide an improvedautomatically controlled valve.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointedout in the annexed claims:

In the drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carryout the objects of the invention but it is to be understood that theinvention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changesma be made within the scope of the claims whic follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a valve, electromagnetic coiland wiring dia gram including a thermostat with the parts shown with thevalve closed.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the partswith the valve in open position.

In this selected embodiment of the invention there is showna pipesection 4 providing a substantially conical valve seat 5 upon which theconical valve 6 may be seated to close the passage 7, through the pipesectionf It may be noted that this particular valved pipe section isadapted to be inserted in a supply line of fluid fuel, either gaseous orliqui such for example, as a pipe line leading from a source of gas to agas-heated appliance or leading from a source of oil to an oil burner.

The valve 6 is preferably integral with a metallic stem 8 having anannularly enlarged portion 9 which may function as a weight yieldably tomaintain the valve in one position. As here shown the valve isgravitationally held in closed position.

The preferred means here disclosed for moving the valve to anotherposition comprises a solenoid 11 whose plunger is provided by the stem 8with its enlarged portion 9. Obviously, upon energization of thesolenoid, its plunger is raised from the position shown-in Figure 1 tothat shown in F igure 2 whereb the valve is moved from its normal closeposition to an open position permitting fluid flow through the passagein the pipe sections. Preferably, the plunger is provided with a stop 12formed by a boss integrally depending from the plate 13 within the axialrecess of the solenoid so that this device is of the form commonly knownas a plunger electromagnet. As a further detail of construction it maybe-noted that the pipe section is integrally formed with a tubularright-angled portion which forms a lining for the axial recess of thesolenoid within which lining the plunger is borne for longitudinalmovement.

The winding of the solenoid is provided with two terminals 14 and 15 andthe wire 16 leads from the upper terminal 14 to the thermostat post 17while the wire 18 leads from the lower terminal 15 to the secondthermostat post 19. preferably provided with a contact screw 21 whoseposition may be outwardly and inwardly adjusted to. regulate a lagaction between the opening and closing engagements of the means forclosing the circuit across these posts 17 and 19. The wire 18 may leadthrough the secondary side 22 of a This post 19 istransformer having itsprimary side 23 tric energy not necessary to be shown. Hence, when thisenergizing circuit is closed across the posts 17 and 19 the solenoid isenergized and the valve position is changed.

The means for closing this energizing C11- cuit across these posts iscarried by the thermo-bar 24 of the thermostat 25 which bar isautomatically actuable in response to surrounding conditions oftemperature in accordance with common practice. However, this thermo-bar24 carries two electrically connected contacts 26 and 27 adapt edrespectively to engage the post 17 and the post-screw 21. It will benoted that these contacts 26 and 27 are preferably offset from the samestraight line, the contact 26 being carried directly by the adjacentface of the thermo-bar while the contact 27 is carried by the similarface of a relativel v flexible metallic strip 28 secured to the rearface of the thermo-bar. Hence, in a closing movement of the thermo-bar,the contact 27 will engage the projecting screw 21 and, upon suchcontinued movement, will flex to permit the engagement of the contact 26with the post 17 and, what is equally important, in any opening movementof the thermo-bar, the contact 26 will first become disengaged while theflexed strip 28 still maintains the cont-act 27 in electrical engagementwith the screw 21. This construction and operation permits the use of asupplemental connection from the solenoid around the disengaged post 17to the thermobar so that relatively slight opening movement of thethermo-bar followed by an immediate closing movement will notde-energize and re-energize the solenoid in rapid succession but, on theother hand, will cause the solenoid to maintain its energized conditionuntil the contact 27 is moved from the screw 21. Thus, the disadvantagesof a succession of alternate movements of the. thermo-bar at itscritical temperature will not be induced in the valve but the valve willremain in position until a full opening movement of the thermo-bar iscompleted.

Such a supplemental holding connection is afforded by the wire 29 whichis secured to the thermostat post 31 which is in electrical engagementwith the thermo-bar 24 and therefore with the metallic strip 28 andcontact 27. The other end of this wire 29 is connected to a contact 32mounted upon an insulated bracket 33 carried by the solenoid 11. Acomplementary contact 34 is carried by a resilient arm 35 mounted ininsulate relation upon the solenoid. This contact 34 is normally heldadjacent to, but away from, the overhanging contact 32. The contact 34is electrically connected by the wire 36 with the upper solenoidterminal 14.

Operation: When the thermal condition of the thermostat is such that thethermo-bar 24 initiates its circuit-closing movement, the contact 27 onthe relatively flexible strip first engages the adjustably offset screw21, but the circuit remains open until further movement of thethermo-bar flexes the strip until the. contact 26 is carried intoelectrical engagement with the post 17 when an energizing circuit isclosed from the secondary side 22 of the transformer through the post19, screw 21, contact 27, strip 28, thermo-har 24, contact 26, post 17,wire 16, terminal 14, solenoid 11, terminal 15 and wirev 18 back to thetransformer. The resultant cncrgization of the solenoid raises theplunger and opens the valve.

\Vhen the thermo-bar subsequentlly initiates its circuit-openingmovement, t e contact 26 is first disengaged while the flexed stripstill retains the contact 27 in electrical engagement with the offsetscrew 21. Under such conditions, the supplemental holding wirefunctions. That is, the circuit has been opened along the post 17 andwire 16 to the terminal 14 so that this opened side of the circuit isclosed by the wire 36 from theupper terminal 14 to the contact 34 whichis held in electrical engagement with the overhanging contact 32 by theraising of the resilient arm 35 through a lifting engagement of theupper projecting end of the valve stem 8 against the button 34 Suchconnection therefore continues across the engaged contacts 34 and 32, towire 29, thermostat post 31, thermo-bar 24, strip 28, contact 27, andscrew 21, transformer side 22, wire 18, terminal 15, solenoid 11, andback to the terminal 14. The solenoid is thus maintained in itsenergized condition during the period of the relatively small movementsof the thermo-bar which often take place around its criticaltemperature. Hence, these substantially successive changes do not affectvalve-position and valve-chattering and the other disadvantages areovercome. After the thcrmo-bar has completed its opening movementsuflicientl to disengage the contact 27 of the flexe strip, the solenoidcircuit is completely opened and the valve closed while the resilientarm 35 resumes its normal state wherein the contacts 32 and 34 of thesupplementary wire 29 are disengaged.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. An automatically controlled valve including means yieldably tomaintain the valve in one position, a device electrically energizable tomaintain the valve in another position, a circuit for the device, a pairof spaced terminals in the circuit, automatically actuable contactingmeans movable to open and close the circuit across the terminals, saidcontacting means being arranged too again engaged by the contactingmeans upon closing movement thereof.

2. A thermostatically controlled valve in cluding means yieldably tomaintain the valve 1n one position, a devlce electrically 'energizableto maintain the valve in another positlon, a circuit for the device, apair of spaced terminals in the circuit, a thermostatic element, meansmovable by the ele'-' ment to co-operate with said terminals to open andclose the circuit thereacross, said means being arranged to bedisengaged from. the terminals in successive relation, means to maintainthe circuit in closed condition after one of said terminals has beendisengaged and until disengagement of the sec-- ond terminal, and meansto preventre-closure of the circuit until after both terminals.

are again engaged upon closing movement of said co-operable meanswhereby chatter-f ing of the valve is eliminated. v

3. An automatically controlled valve including means yieldably tomaintain the valve 1n one position, a deviceelectrically energizable tomaintain the valve in another position, a circult for the device, a pan'of spaced terminals in thecircult, an automatieally operable element,means movable by the element to co-operate with said termi nals to openand close the circuit thereacross, said means being arranged to bedisengaged from the terminals in succemive relation, and means operableby the enerthe element to open and close the circuit across theterminals, said contacts bein arranged to be disengaged from theterminals in successive relatlon, a supplemental electrical connectionleading from the terminal first disengaged to said device, and meansoperable by the device to open and close said connection whereb thedevice may be maintained in energiz condition after said first terminalis disengaged and until disengagement of the second terminal. p Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. this 14th day of October,1924.

FREDERICK S. DENISON.

